Once when I was in college, I called my professor and told him that my grandmother was in the hospital so I wouldn't be in class (now that I think about it, did professors actually take attendance?) I actually used this excuse more than once, I just made sure that I never called the same professor twice. This was back when I was dating Chris and we would skip school at random because we basically had no major responsibilities. We'd dig through the couch cushions in his apartment to find enough money for a greasy breakfast at Bill's Diner followed by a walk through downtown Grand Rapids (before there was anything there), we'd make ramen noodles for dinner, and hang out with friends at Mulligans. To top it all off, we'd grab midnight chili dogs at Yesterdog, and talk about possibly doing the same thing again the next day....ahh, those were the days!
Unfortunately, marriage and jobs and kids have brought out the responsibility in us and we've settled into an honest use of vacation and sick days...ok, with the occasional, much-needed "mental health" day thrown in. But overall, we've been faithful workers and haven't abused the system - it's generally frowned apon to take the day off to visit your dying grandmother in the hospital when she's neither dying nor in the hospital. So today, even though I went through all of the right channels, and left all of the right sub plans, it still felt a little strange to be hanging out in the middle of the afternoon, in the middle of week knowing that my students are all working hard in the classroom (actually, they're probably not working that hard).
It's also funny to me that playing hooky is a completely different ballgame once you are an adult with actual adult responsibilitis. For starters, I still had to wake up early to take the kids to school - and because school is where I work, I stopped in to meet with my sub and make sure she didn't have any questions. It's Wednesday, so I stayed for chapel at school and sat with Carson while he sang songs and said the pledge. Monica and I sneaked out before the end of chapel, but ended up stopping in the office and having a conversation with my coworkers about having babies. By the time we finally left, first period was over and several people passed by me and said, "I thought you were going to be gone today."
We finally made it out and had a great breakfast at Einsteins (we went to the crepe place but it's closed - permanently!) followed by spa pedicures in amazing massage chairs. We only heard from the guys a few times, and once from my mom who wondered about picking up my brother. By the time lunch came around, we drove back to school to pick up the kids for an early release (they need cousin bonding time too). Lunch wasn't quite over, so I met Kaitlyn in the lunchroom and proceeded to have a 10 minute conversation with the same Middle School students who I had taken the day off to be away from. Before getting back into the car, I checked my cell, which had only one message from Chris: Estimated Time of Arrival? Sigh...
I guess that's the thing about becoming an adult...playing hooky just isn't the same, instead of greasy spoon breakfasts and late nights out, there's 15 minutes of girl time followed by frantic husband texts wondering where you are and when you'll be home. Playing hooky no longer means sleeping in and snuggling under the covers until lunchtime, it means dropping off the kids and trying to avoid eye-contact with others in order to be able to leave and be back to pick them up three hours later. On the flip-side, however, it also means no wandering around town without any money to buy anything, no having to make ramen noodles for dinner, and no homework to make up for a professor who may or may not have taken attendance. Best of all, it means hanging out with my best girl in the world and laughing hysterically about nothing and everything all at the same time...even texts from our hubbies...who really, just want to spend their day playing hooky with us too.
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